To Fern,
Who asks.
Lemon Law,
I'm not quite following you. You seem to be implying some evil Machavellian GWB plot?
Not being terribly familar with the situation, I'll outline what little I know (or think I know):
1. Hamas, bad guys democratically elected. Classified as terrorist organization by the US and others. Upon thier election, most international aid stopped (because they are classified as terrorist org). Of course, we have the apparent contradiction of not supporting a democratically elected government. OTOH, if we supported them, we'd have the apparent contradiction of supporting a listed terrorist organization - No way to win.
2. Fatah, recently the good guys (hasn't Abbas, or whatever his name is, agreed to recognize & negotiate with Isreal?), NOT classifed by US as a terrorist org.
3. War between the two began in '06
4. Hamas just "captured" Gaza (kickin Fatah's butt), Fatah retains "control" over the West Bank ATM.
So, what's news to me (assuming the above are generally correct) is that we've been arming/training Fatah in their fight against Hamas.
Now, from an earlier news report today, GWB and Olmhert are meeting on the Gaza development, presumable to recognize the idea of a split Palestine and what to do about it.
Now, aside from the USA looking inept at training/arming Fatah I don't see anything unusual here. What are you seeing?
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Its certainly not what I am seeing although you have the high points sufficiently correct-----where you are terribly wrong is that you have drinking the GWB koolaid to the point of of complete hallucinations. And we can start with your analogy about this being a "evil Machiavellian plot on the part of GWB." While I may buy evil, but Machiavellian somehow has the implication of a clever manipulation that will hog tie the opposition and render it ineffective so Machavelli can better accomplish his ends. Not only is this a busted play,
it moves progress back, and has all the hall marks of typical GWB. To give a surgical analogy, GWB knows how to cut the belly open, but is totally clueless on how to operate once the belly is cut open, and refuses to even sew the victim back up. And the first part of the Hippocratic oath is first do no harm. So its more keystone cops at best.
Then move on to point 1. Hamas bad guy democratically elected. When really Hamas has a dual identity---or a split personality if you will---good Hamas that is a basic social worker trying to make the existing system work---and a bad Hamas that has an evil twin brother that will appear if his brother is thwarted in his good works. And opposed to what has become of the Fatah party which is corrupt fat cat that enriches itself while claiming to represent the Palestinian people. And its the fact that Fatah has done nothing to help the Palestinian cause that in turn has caused their election loss to Hamas. And in the wider context---it depends on what side you are on---for Israel itself, its quite understandable that they now want to deal with a Fatah that does nothing to advance the Palestinian cause. And if you are Arab or Palestinian you see a gross injustice as Israel has stolen Palestinian land and then tossed the victims into refugee camps. And if you are unbiased you see two things. (a) Both sides are somewhat correct and in correct---both have somewhat valid grievances with the other. And therefore in fairness some sort of compromise is in order. And some sharing and honest negotiation is needed---which is now frustrated by the military hegemony of Israel which allows Israel to ignore any need to negotiate in good faith. Or offer anything that might induce the Palestinians to settle. (b) That as a result---the mid-east is one sick puppy. If one or the other side were to die---the solution would be simple---but neither is side is going to go away and that leads to one sick puppy that desperately needs help if you can even talk about the mid-east as a single organism. And going back to that Hippocratic oath---first do no harm---thats exactly what this latest brainfart did is do harm because it now almost certainly has to have the net effect of radicalizing Hamas and destroying Fatah---and before you had the good Hamas and Abbas in a fragile coalition where at least terrorist attacks against Israel coming from the Palestinians were minor. So in stirring the pot---thats not likely in future.
I will concede that there is a tiny chance that these Dr. GWB Machiavellian manipulations may lead to something positive------but the long odds are that this will make the situation much worse.---and like Iraq be a white elephant where we can't solve and can't let go of as events spin out of control . You may be drunk slappy happy on GWB koolaid, as for me, I am peeing my pants because the fire danger in the mid-east just went way up. Only events will see if you will be the one only waking up with only a mere hangover.
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